1. DL-METHIONINE
1. PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS
Molecular formula / C2H11NO2SAlternate names / 2-amino-4-(methyl thio) butyric acid, Meonine, Methialamine Neston, Lobamine, Mertionin, Neo methidin.
Appearance / DL-Methionine is in the form of crystalline powder or platelets.
2. PRODUCT APPLICATIONS
DL-methionine is the only sulphur containing amino acids.
It is used as dietary component in the poultry and animal feed. It is essential nutrient and lipotropic agent.
It is used widely in feed mixes. It is essential component in human nutrition, as it is not synthesized by the human body and is used as feedstuff for broilers.
It plays an important role in biological methylations. DL-methionine is in the form of platelets and is soluble in dilute acids, alkalies.
It is used in poultry feed as an essential nutrient and lipotropic agent. It is added to the feed at a rate of 0.1-0.2%.
3. IMPORTS Around 3000 tonnes per annum
4. EXPORTS Nil
5. INDIAN MANUFACTURERS
Presently, there are no producers of DL-Methionine in the country.
No organisation in India appears to be involved in putting up project for DL-methionine.The possible reason could be difficulty in getting overseas technology as well as the hazardous nature of the raw materials such as methyl mercaptan, acrolein and hydrogen cyanide.
Methyl percaptan and acrolein have to be procured by imports only.The alternate enzymatic route is comparatively of recent origin and acquisition of technology could be even more difficult for the enzymatic route compared to synthetic route.
6. DEMAND SUPPLY TREND
The major demand for DL-methionine is in poultry feed industry. The present potential demand for DL-Methionine both by poultry feed and pharmaceuticalindustry is estimated to be around 3000 tonnes per annum. The demand is met by imports.
Considering the importance of the product, the demand is likely to go up at the rate of 10 to 12% per annum.
The present Indian requirements are entirely met by imports.
7. MANUFACTURING PROCESS
DL-Methionine is industrially produced using B-methyl mercaptopropionaldehyde sodium cyanide, methanol and ammonia.
DL-Methionine is produced on a large scale by chemical synthesis.
Methyl mercaptan is reacted with acrylein to produced beta methyl thiopropionaldehyde, which is reacted with hydrogen cyanide to produce alpha hydroxy gamma methyl thio butyro nitrile, which on treatment with ammonia followed by hydrolysis yields methionine.
All industrial producers of DL-methionine start with the same raw materials, acrolein, methanethoil (methyl mercaptan), hydrogen cyanide and ammonia or ammonium carbonate. The multistep process can be carried out in batches or continuously.
The enzyme amino acylase from aspergillus oryzas is employed commercially. The method devised is based on the use of immobisiled acylase in packed columns. It has been modified in Germany by replacement of the column with a membrane reactor.
The enzymatic reaction is now carried out in a continuous process, the enzyme being kept in the reactor by means of ultra filter membranes. The process is economical because of efficient utilisation of the enzyme's activity, efficient racemization and recycling of undesired N-acetyl-D-amino acid.
8. GLOBAL SCENARIO
Global demand : 4.4 lakh tonnes per annum.
The demand for DL-Methionine in Japan is around 30,000 tonnes per annum.
Over 90% of Methionine capacity goes into poultry feed.
Degussa is the leading supplier for Methionine and Mitsui is the major supplier of MHA, which it sells through its US subsidiary, Novus.
In South East Asia, the demand for Methionine is expected to increase at a rate of 5 to 6% per annum.
Sumitomo Chemical and Nippon Soda Co. are Japan's leading Methionine producers. Nippon Soda together with Mitsui took over in April 1990 Monsanto (US) Methionine division and established in June 1990, a new methionine company, `NOVUS', in St.Louis, Missouri, USA
Sumitomo Chemical Co., has plans to expand the capacity of its methionine plant. At present, it has an installed capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum.
Global Outlook
Methionine demand is forecast to grow at 5% per year until 2004. While Threonine's demand growth is estimated by PJB at a 'conservative' 10% per year. The US has more modest growth of 2 to 4% per year and the animal feed market is expected to reach $911 million by 2005.
Market share of Global companies
Company / Market shareMitsui/Novus / 34
Degussa / 30
Aventis / 28
Others / 8
9. RECOMMENDATIONS
DL-Methionine is an extremely important project, considering the fact that the Indian requirements are entirely met by imports and the product has vital applications with substantial growth potentials in demand.
The demand could substantially go up if the product would be readily available in the market and indigenously produced.
The project can be favourably considered for implementation in Tamil Nadu, in view of the relevance of the product.
Recommended capacity 6000 tonnes per annum
Estimated project cost Rs.40 crores